Kanak Jha Defeats Deni Kozul to Reach Round of 16 in Skopje
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by Joshua Dyke | USA Table Tennis
Singles: Kanak Jha in men's singles R16 at WTT Singapore Smash 2026. The Kallang Singapore, Singapore. Feb. 24, 2026. (Photo by WTT)
Kanak Jha opened with a win against Slovenian qualifier Deni Kozul in the knockout stages at World Table Tennis Contender Skopje 2026. He advanced past Kozul 3-2 (9-11, 11-7, 11-9, 8-11, 11-6) to reach the Round of 16.
Earlier in their careers, Kozul had held the head-to-head advantage between the pair in their first two meetings. The trend reversed in Skopje.
By the end of the first game, the feeling-out process was over. Jha responded by taking two straight and forcing Kozul onto the defensive for much of the middle stretch of the match.
He was relentless on his receives, picking apart Kozul’s approach and disrupting his rhythm. Whether the rallies were quick or extended, Jha’s superior pace gave him a noticeable edge.
Jha won six of the final eight points in the deciding game, using decisive attacks and disciplined defense to pull away and earn a spot in the next round.
He’ll be up against Portugal’s Marcos Freitas in the Round of 16 tomorrow at 12:05 p.m. ET / 9:05 a.m. PT on Table 2 – Watch Live.
Freitas presents a different challenge, relying on aggressive attacks and the unique angles created by his left-handed game.
If No. 6 seed Jha can keep the Portuguese veteran in check, a win would secure his spot in his first WTT Men’s Singles quarterfinal of 2026 in Skopje.
